Kill or be killed was the stark choice for Bruce in army days

NOWADAYS, IT feels like most high profile Premier League footballers release an autobiography - the ‘in-depth story of their lives’ - usually by the time they are 23 or 24. Then, just when that one drops from eye level in The Book Centre, the second autobiography is out.

Almost gone are the days of a slight rework and a second edition. It’s simply supply and demand, as publishing companies know they are a sure seller and the player benefits from a handsome boost to their bank account, their ego, and their ‘exposure’.

It’s been over 30 years since Bruce Grobbelaar released his first autobiography, ‘ More than Somewhat’. For the general football follower, the Zimbabwean was an intriguing figure, a character in a game that was starting to lose its soul.

Unlike the run of the mill, modern day dullard, Grobbelaar always courted attention. He’d say it like it is, he’s do things his own way, and he brought an air of uncertainty to a team that was often mechanically good. This second publication, ‘Life in a Jungle’, was long overdue.

When ‘More than Somewhat’ was released in 1986, Grobbelaar had already won everything that was worth winning with Liverpool.

Not all, but most of the glory years with the Merseyside club came before that, so he devotes just over a third of this offering to that stage in his life.

But time has given the man greater perspective and understanding of the events that made up his first 29 years. He talks in depth about his spell with the Rhodesian

Army and the events that did a lot to morph

Grobbelaar into the person he is today.

Despite being lovingly referred to in his home country as ‘The Jungleman’, it was these sections in his first publication that saw him lose his Zimbabwean passport, blocked by former dictator Robert Mugabe.

The section on the war, in which Grobbelaar admits to having to kill or be killed, would be the most harrowing section of most sports books. However, the middle section contains the horrific events of Heysel and Hillsborough.

He doesn’t sway too far from the accepted reality of what occured on those two dark days for the sport and Liverpool but he does talk a lot about the aftermath, particularly about what followed Hillsborough, that really gives readers an idea of just how difficult life became for the whole city.

Grobbelaar was always an eccentric between the posts, mocked by opposing fans for his odd blunder and unusual approach, loved by Liverpool supporters for his undoubted quality and timely responses to chants of ‘Brucie, what’s the score, Brucie, Brucie, what’s the score?’.

It was therefore interesting to delve into the final third of the book, the surroundings and aftermath of his arrest for match fixing. Grobbelaar goes into the details about how one disruptive force set the whole situation in motion.

He explains how a business deal went wrong, how he got caught up in a sting, and things spiralled.

Grobbelaar was eventually cleared but not until he had lost everything and was declared bankrupt.

This is one of a small number of football autobiographies that is potentially a good read for the general sports book enthusiast. It doesn’t overstay its welcome on any topic and hits on all the major events in his life.

For the football fan there will be few better offerings as Christmas gets closer and, of course, because of the many Liverpool fans around the county, ‘Life in a Jungle’ will be under several trees on December 25.

DEAN GOODISON

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